A FIGHTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1301, 2 December 1911, Page 6

A FIGHTER.

Oi;r "Liberal" friends must have rend the report of Mi!. Massky's hijwcli at Grey Lynn, on Thtirsdny nif;!it with sinkinu liearts. Shutting their eyes to the lesson of Mil. Masshy'b long and tireless fight for reform in tho face of the most discouraging circumstances, and that is, that tlw Leader of the Opposition lias in his composition a higher proportion of grit, courage, honesty, and vigour than almost any public man the country hag in _ recent times produced, the Ministerialists lmvo been attempting to rush him out of the ring. The Ward party has really been acting lately like nothing so much as an angry and cxciteu boxer rushing wildly at a cool and skilled opponent. And Mr. Massey, to continue tho figure, has simply stood off and IHinehcd the cxcited and clumsy tumbler with, deadly effect. It has been just tho kind of election for grit and earnestness to obtain their full cffect.s, and Mit. Massey stands forth stronger and in better shape every day. Tho Prime Minister, on the other hand, has becomc almost hysterical. Ho has thrown to the winds dignity, and accuracy, and is plainly in a state of alarm. His strange outbreak at Dannevirkc was hardly required as a foil to the straight knock-down blows of Mr. Massey's Grey Lynn speech. There may have been some excuse for Mr. L. Isitt's woefully mistaken idea that Mr. Massey could be atI tacked with impunity. Mr. Isitt has only lately begun to take any interest at all in politics, and he was unfortunately flattered out of rhyme and reason by the battlescarred and sophisticated managers of Wardism, who fancied that they could make use of him _ for their ends. Mr. Isitt, accordingly, may quite honestly have fancied himself a match for tho man who, after many years' cheerful fighting against odds for principle and for tho true public interest, is to-day stronger than ever, and more deeply rooted than ever, in the_ admiration and esteem of the public. Even those who do not agree with his politics admire his courage and fighting spirit. There is no such excuso for Mr. M'Nab. He has known Mr. Massey many years. Fe has known him as

a man of scrupulous honour and as a shrewd and experienced Parliamentarian. He had therefore no such excuse as inexperienced and

blundering Mr. Is iit for the laughable "challenge" ho issued in con-■nection-with the Mokau affair. Mr. M'Nab is doubtless very sorry indeed by now that ho allowed his alarm to overcome his natural caution. His "challenge" was one that could only excite the ridiculo of everybody, because it asked the public to believe the possibility that Mr. Massey is a "scoundrel," and wo do not think that even one per cent of the bitterest political opponents of Mr. Massey would even in the savagest moment, make such an .outrageous suggestion as that. Even a very common-place man couldh'ave shattered Mr,. M'Nab's challenge, but Mr. Massey took an extremely 'simple and effective way of doing it. "If. Mr. M'Xab <\an prove," he said, "that tho statements that I inndo at Pulmorston North with regard to the purchase of tho Mokau block were wrong in any substantial particular—l am not speaking of the crowing of t's or the dotting of i's—l shall retire from public life for ever. If ho cannot do that. I hope he will stop this hysterical Fcreeehing and go throngh with his candidature like a man and not like a child." That brief crystallisation of what everyone must hare thought as soon as the ludicrous "challenge" was issued makes the most effective extinguisher possible for Mr. M'Nab.

The incident of Me. Isitt is really a far more serious affair. Mr. Isitt, with a full knowledge of all the facts, actually dared to say that "Mr,. Massey's unworthy silence did not; even embitter Mr. Taylor's dying hours," and that tho retraction made by Mr. Massey was "a partial and ungenerous retraction.". Mr. Ism knew, everyone knew, that Mr. Massey made the most complete retraction frameable in English. He "withdrew unreservedly," submitting himself, as any honourable man would do, to whatever censure anyone might care to pass upon him for his original statement. His withdrawal was complete and absolute, and for decent men the incident is closed. But Mr. Massey is entitled to give the lie to anyone who says hc_ did not withdraw ! absolutely. It is unnecessary for us to say—since everyone will say for himself—how Mr. Ism's behaviour should bo characterised. How arc we to characterise his action in facc of his telegram of acknowledgment that Mn. Massey read ? The most charitable thing to do is to pity Mn. Isirr for not perceiving that he has been used all this time by the Ward party for its own ends. What do they care for Mr. Isitt? Nothing. They will treat him, when it suits them, just as they treated the man whose place he took. He is a subjcct rather for pity than for anger; and one day he will realise this. Tho organised assault on the_ Leader of the Opposition has ludicrously failed; it has merely.enabled him to score heavily, and to mako tho Prime Minister appear as a small and unimpressive figure that can with advantage disappear from our politics.